Errors and problems

[davjbeas]

Just wanted to share some of the problems I've encountered this year. Maybe it will help someone.

1) I dose 2 part B-ionic with a spectrapure litre metter 3 with a second slave pump. This is a good piece of equipment. The issue I had was a month or two after the initial set up and calibration I noticed some thing was off.

B-Ionic should be dosed in exact proportions of 1 & 2. So I recaibrated both units. There may have been a break in period that was the problem. Well anyway when I fill up the 2 glass containers with part 1+2 I make sure they are filled to the exact same height. This way I will notice if the pumps need to be recalibrated. Because I would see a level difference.

 

2) The second learing experience this year is in regards to salinity. I do a 20 gallon water change every 2 weeks.

I mix the RODI water to 1.026 with refractometer and circulate for 2 days before the change. I have an auto top off

connected to the sump. I never would have guessed I had a salinity issue in the reef system until I noticed a post here on wamas saying that dosing B-ionic slowly raises the salinity. So I test the tank and its 1.029 . The easy fix was to drain 3 gallons of tank water every couple of days and let the top off replace the water I took out.

 

3) Top off Issue. > I have an oceanus systems top off that has been in operation for 4 years. I have a 5 gallon resovoir that contains RODI water for auto top off that is not directly coneected to my RODI water storage tower.

I designed this way so that if something fails the most water that could be added would be about 4 gallons. All I need to do is turn a valve to refill the 5 gallon resovoir. Well, I come home and see the resoivor is empty so I turn the valve and the pump goes on to pump replacement water to the sump. I see it is pumping a lot of water so I check under the stand and see the water level 4 inches higher than it should be. I shut off the switch on the top off controller. It turns out calcium deposits froze the float switch in sump water low position. The fix was to disassemble the float switch and snail guard and soak in vinegar and scrape the calcium deposits away. It is working fine again.

 

4) I have used a "Medusa" 2 stage temperature controller for 4 years. It has been reliable. It controls both the heater and chiller. I shut it off during water changes to avoid the heater staying on and cracking when the water level gets low in the sump. And I don't want the chiller to run when no water is flowing though it. It has an audible alarm that goes off when the temperature goes above 81 degrees or below 78 degrees. Well, I shut it off and do a water change then turn it back on. THe alarm goes off and the chiller turns on. I don't think much at first except the new water may have been on the warmer side. I get alarmed and checked the temp readout on the Reefkeeper controller. It reads 77 degrees and the medusa controller reads 84 degress. I wiggle the connection where the temperature probe wire connects to the Medusa temp controller and then it reads 77 degrees also and the chiller shuts off. The Fix is I need a new temp controller. I really liked the unit but its discontinued and I can't even find it on EBAY. I can dissasemble it when I have some time and maybe its an easy fix or its trash. i just got a aqua controller JR. that seems like it will do the job of controlling everything. I need to get more parts before its useable though.

 

Thats it for now. Feel free to post issues, errors, problems, solutions you have had here.

 

Happy Reefing,

 

David

[reefhunter]

I had the heater in my chiller and the heater hooked up to my ACIII crap out the same week. I now run three, yes three, heaters.

 

I also have a reservoir for my top off that eliminates the possibility of a kalk overdose. Mine refills itself daily by pump on a timer. I can visually inspect the top off tank for malfuntions.